In March, during the Holi festival, I began researching Narasimha, the 4th avatar of Vishnu. I thoroughly enjoyed going down this rabbit hole and wish to share my findings with you today!

What started this journey was the Holika dahan bonfire. For a large part of India, the Holi festival involves lighting of a sacred bonfire to which devotees offer sweets and medicinal herbs (know more about my Holi experiences in this audio track). This activity is celebrated as Holika dahan (or killing of Holika in the Prahlad story) symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.

For those who aren’t aware of the story of Prahlad, here’s a quick summary.

Vishnu Devotee Prahlad’s Story

Prahlad was a young Asura prince and a staunch devotee of Vishnu. His father Hiranyakashyapu was an Asura king staunchly against Devas and Gods. In fact, he had a personal tiff with Vishnu who killed his younger brother Hiranyaksha. However, despite furious commands from his father, Prahlad refused to denounce Vishnu.

Finally, Hiranyakashyapu decided to kill Prahlad. He made various attempts through his soldiers and warriors, but Vishnu protected Prahlad through all of them. Hiranyakashyapu then asked his sister for help. His sister, Holika, had a cloak that protected her from fire. At the behest of her brother, she wore this cloak and took Prahlad with her into a roaring bonfire. However, the cloak slipped onto Prahlad. Thus, Holika burnt to her death in the fire, while Prahlad was saved. This story is celebrated in a big way across India with a bonfire on Holi festival.

After this incident, Hiranyakashyapu confronted Prahlad one final time,

“Where is this God you worship so much?”, he asked.

“Vishnu is everywhere”, said Prahlad.

“Everywhere? Is he in this pillar as well?” asked Hiranyakashyapu.

When Prahlad agreed, Hiranyakashyapu struck that pillar with his sword and from it emerged Vishnu in his 4th avatar form of Narasimha – half lion, half man.

A long time back, Hiranyakashyapu had a boon granted to him by Brahma that he wouldn’t be killed by a man or animal, in heaven or earth, inside or outside, during night or day and many other such conditions. The Narasimha avatar fulfilled all these conditions and then killed him.

It’s amazing how our scriptural stories have creative solutions for all problems! Can’t be killed by man or animal? We have a man-animal hybrid God! Can’t be killed inside or outside the house? Kill on the threshold of the door which is neither in nor out. Neither day nor night? We have the twilight time which is a transition between the two.

Coming back to the Holi bonfire, Hindus celebrate Holika’s defeat against Prahlad’s devotion. Many questions came to my mind this year. Do Hindus also venerate Narasimha in any way during Holi? If holika dahan happened in March, when did Narasimha emerge from the pillar to kill Hiranyakashyapu? Are there any other Narasimha festivals being celebrated? How active is Narasimha worship in today’s day and age?

Well, here’s what I found.

Narasimha Jayanti: The Day of Emergence from the Pillar

Traditional calendars record Vaisakh Shukla Chaturdashi as the day that Narasimha emerged from the pillar. This year, this day falls on 21 or 22nd of May based on the panchang being followed. Roughly, two months after Holika dahan. I wonder whether May being the hottest month in India has anything to do with the emergence of this fierce deity?

However, he is not fierce all the time! For those of you, who are like me of a few years back, and know about Narasimha only from the story of Prahlad, it may come as a surprise that Narasimha has many other forms. Yoga Narasimha when he is in a meditative state. Soumya Narasimha when he is peaceful.

Ancient Narasimha Temples & Different Forms

About 2 years back, I went on a road trip from Mysore to Bangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka. I decided to stop at a some “ancient temples” on the way. I depended on Google to tell me which ones these would be. As it happened, both the ancient temples Google showed me were Narasimha temples.

That’s how I discovered the popularity of Narasimha temples in this part of the country and the varied aspects that are worshipped!

First, I explored the beautiful ghats on the banks of the paschim vahini or the west-flowing Kaveri river. There is a beautiful moola (original) Lakshmi Narasimha temple said to be 800 years old on these ghats on the outskirts of Srirangapatna. This was the first non-fierce form of Narasimha which I encountered.

I then halted at a town called Maddur which has an ancient Ugra Narasimha temple. The idol is said to be from the times of Mahabharata. As per legend, Krishna requested Brahma to create this Narasimha idol for Arjuna who wanted to see Krishna in his fierce Narasimha form. I donated a small amount when I was there at the temple and the pujaris seemed very pleased with this. One of the older pujaris took me around the entire temple giving me a grand tour. However, he mostly spoke in Kannada, so I barely understood anything.

A few months later, I happened to be driving in the same area of Karnataka and I came across an ancient Gunja Narasimha temple in a town called Tirumakadalu Narasipura located on the bank of the Kaveri river. This Gunja Narasimha felt enigmatic. Due to time restrictions despite passing-by this temple multiple times, I have not yet been able to visit inside. Gunja is a medicinal plant, and the seeds are used for tantric purposes also. The idol in this temple holds a Gunja stem, and thus, the name.

Jalari Narasimha is another form of this deity bearing the name of the abundant Jalari trees around the temple. This temple is located near the 112 feet Adiyogi statue in the Chikkaballapur district where I was volunteering for a while. They also have a Yoga Narasimha idol in this temple. And I am told there is a hike higher up the hill to another Yoga Narasimha shrine. (I wrote a blog on this Jalari Narasimha temple, read here)

I am amazed with the many forms and names Narsimha has. However, I guess, a deity would get as many names as there are devotees. As each devotee in his or her heart may have a special name and place for their deity.

Talking about devotees, this forage would not be complete without looking at some of the Narasimha devotees.

Narasimha Devotees

One of the most recent examples is Ramaswamy Iyenger also called “Melukote Bahubali”, a brahmin involved in the kitchen at Yoga Narasimha temple in Melukote, Karnataka. He used to carry 40 litres of water every single day for decades even though there are 300 steps between the temple and pushkarni (water source). In 2022, at the age of 75 he passed away.

Another example of a devotee is the brilliant mathematician, Ramanujam. He has a famous quote, “my Devi bleeds mathematics”. This devi is none other than Namagiri amman, a form of Lakshmi, who is the consort of Narasimha at Namakkal, Tamil Nadu.

Iskcon devotees also worship Narsimha. In fact, one of the largest Narsimha temple has been built in Mayapur, Iskcon headquarters. There are a few intriguing Narashimha pilgrimages that some of the Iskcon monks and devotees have undertaken. Foremost, amongst these is the pilgrimage to Ahobilam. Ahobilam is a wild region in the Nallamalla hills in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. This is the place where the palace and pillar of Hiranyakashyapu is said to have existed from where emerged Narsimha. In fact, pilgrim travelogues suggest that this pillar’s ruins can be seen to this day!

This place was largely forgotten in the 1980s when a young American monk called Indrumnya Swami undertook this daring pilgrimage. Hiking through wild jungle and tribal paths, he visited the 9 Narasimha temples of Ahobilam. (Read about his pilgrimage here)

Narsimha is considered the presiding deity of navagrahas. Ahobilam has 9 different shrines signifying each of the 9 forms of Narsimha relating with each of the 9 grahas. These 9 forms are Bhargava Narsimha, Chatravata Narasimha, Mallola Narasimha, Yogananda Narasimha, Ugra Narasimha, Karanji Narasimha, Krodha Narasimha, Jwala Narasimha and Pavana Narasimha.

Indrumnya swami’s account of this powerful pilgrimage inspired a wave of Narasimha devotion in many others. Another Iskcon devotee Dhruv Dasa also from US, undertook this same pilgrimage twenty years later around 1996. His account also suggests that the trail was still wild and not yet frequented by Indian pilgrims. (His pilgrimage account here)

However, since then, improvements have happened because when I look at the Google maps, I can see quite a few guest houses including an Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) hotel in the Ahobilam village from where our pilgrimage trail would begin. There are also some ‘doli’ arrangements where pilgrims can hire locals to carry them in a palanquin across the tough route. A ropeway facility has been proposed by the government a few years back, however, no recent updates are available on the same.

Naturally, I am now intrigued to do a pilgrimage to this enigmatic Ahobilam and I hope to write another blog sharing my experience of this adventure! 😊